Ahmed Maqbul Syed sentenced in US for 8 years.
Syed was involved in a network that handled money obtained through fraudulent tech support and government impersonation schemes, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Some were told to purchase gold or withdraw cash and hand it over to people posing as government officials. The schemes resulted in substantial financial losses, with some victims losing most of their life savings, according to prosecutors.
The scams targeted people across the US. The fraud typically began with fake computer alerts warning users about technical problems or freezing their devices. People who called the numbers displayed in these messages were connected to criminals posing as technical support staff or government officials. Victims were then instructed to move their money to supposedly secure their assets. Others were asked to buy gift cards and share their numbers with the scammers. At least one victim was directed to deposit cash into a Bitcoin ATM.